Oneida Indian Nation Homelands (September 19, 2022) – The Oneida Indian Nation will start construction next month on a full-scale, 50,000-square-foot cannabis cultivation and production facility. Retail locations, which will be announced at a later date and located exclusively on Nation lands, are projected to open in late 2023. The entire cannabis operation, from seed to sale, will be operated by the Oneida Indian Nation. The cultivation and manufacturing facility will be located on Hill Road in Verona, New York.
The Oneida Indian Nation’s cannabis initiative is in furtherance of its commitment to diversify its economic base and create separate revenue streams to support its vital government programs and services for the Oneida people, such as health care, education, public safety, and cultural preservation. It is also a reaffirmation of the Nation’s reinvestment efforts in the region and its commitment to creating new employment opportunities for its workforce and the community.
Details of this development include the following:
- The Oneida Indian Nation’s cannabis cultivation, production, and sales will be highly regulated by the Oneida Indian Nation Cannabis Commission, an independent regulatory oversight body which the Nation will create to oversee the safety and compliance of the cannabis business.
- The entire Oneida Indian Nation cannabis program will be conducted in compliance with the historic 2013 Settlement Agreement between the State of New York, the Oneida Indian Nation, Oneida County, and Madison County. The Oneida Indian Nation will charge and collect taxes at the same level as New York State, and the Nation will dedicate those tax proceeds exclusively to tribal government programs such as public safety, health care, affordable housing, education, and cultural preservation. The Nation has adopted a robust cannabis ordinance and regulations that impose governance standards that are comparable to those embodied in the New York State cannabis laws. These include comparable age restrictions and limitations on purchase amounts, employee licensure requirements, and assurances of product safety and quality.
- The Oneida Indian Nation has engaged in discussions with the New York State Office of Cannabis Management to create a joint inspection partnership of their cannabis products. The Oneida Indian Nation remains open to advancing those discussions if the Office of Cannabis Management wishes to do so.
- Like all of its major capital investments, construction of the Oneida Indian Nation’s 50,000-square-foot cannabis grow facility will be performed pursuant to a Project Labor Agreement with the Central and Northern New York Building Trades Council.
- The consumption of cannabis will remain prohibited at Oneida Nation Enterprises venues, including at all of its casinos, hotels, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues.
Ray Halbritter, Oneida Indian Nation Representative and Oneida Nation Enterprises CEO, said the following in explaining the Oneida Indian Nation’s rationale for entering the cannabis business: “As more and more states across the country enter into the cannabis business, including neighboring states and other tribal nations, it is important that the Oneida people not be left out from taking advantage of this economic opportunity. We are excited about this new venture and are confident based on our expertise and proven track record within other highly regulated industries that we will be able to set the standard for developing a safe and successful adult recreational cannabis business on Oneida Indian Nation lands.”
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